Seed to Sprout to Toxic Weed
by anonyreaderfan
Summary: Damon insisted he killed Lexi to divert the Sheriff's suspicion from him and his brother. Sure . . . but it wasn't the only reason.


Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

~ X ~

There was a lot of history leading up to the moment Damon plunged that stake into Lexi's heart. The seeds of her destruction were planted a long time ago; carefully nurtured with jealousy and fertilized with resentment.

This is the last of five stories chronicling the events that lead up to Lexi's death at Damon hands. They should be read in this order:

First Seed - Story id 8837170

Seed of Her Destruction - Story ID 8190540

Another Seed is Planted - Story ID 8773864

Seed to Sprout - Story ID 9232598

~ X ~

Damon wandered aimlessly through the common areas of the old boarding house, stopping to pour a full glass of whiskey from an elegant cut glass decanter. He came to rest by the fireplace, leaning against the mantel. He appeared mesmerized by the flickering flames and idly used the toe of his boot to kick back a stray log that threatened to roll out on the hearth.

His brow furrowed as he sipped his whiskey. Tomorrow was a special day; his brother's birthday. The big one hundred and sixty two. Things had been rocky between them lately. He snorted. Rocky fell far short of the true state of things.

It might be time for a gesture of reconciliation. He hadn't celebrated Stefan's birthday in . . . . He took another sip of whiskey and tried to recall the last time they had shared a birthday. He finally gave up the attempt. There was just so much drama, so much tension between them.

He would coax Stefan into going out with him; just the two of them for a bit of brotherly bonding and fun. Some place with loud music and free flowing booze. They could play darts and pool and some friendly competitive drinking games. They, rather he, could munch on a bar patron and Stefan . . . He chuckled quietly, amused by his latest thought. Well, for Stefan he would get some special plump, white bunnies with the cute pink eyes from the local pet store. It would be a change from the stringy wild rabbits he usually hunted.

He drained his glass with a decisive nod. He felt more optimistic than he had in awhile.

~ X ~

Damon slipped quietly onto Stefan's bed, careful not to allow the mattress to dip and alert the sleeper to his presence. She was here, of course, once again messing up his plans for his brother.

He watched her quietly for a moment and then slipped into a contrived pose, resting on his side, his arm bent at the elbow to artfully prop his head on his hand. He was careful to replace the angry scowl on his face with am amiable expression. While he waited for her to become aware of his presence thoughts swirled through his head, none of them happy.

_Back to steal my brother?_

_He's all happy now that you're here. I see it in the smile that's been missing from his face. Hear it in his voice._

_WE should be celebrating his birthday. He and I._

_Not you._

_You overshadow me Lexi._

_Always trying to get my brother away from me._

_I warned you Lexi._

_My brother Lexi, not yours._

_You'll get yours Lexi._

_You'll get yours._

Lexi shifted, murmuring in her sleep, seeking a more comfortable spot. She turned and woke abruptly sensing someone staring at her. She was surprised to find herself face to face with Damon.

She gave a grunt of disgust and jerked upright.

"Hello Lexi. What an unexpected surprise." He spoke mildly.

"Unexpected surprise?" She mocked. "I think the wrong brother went back to high school."

"How long are you here for?" He kept his tone carefully neutral.

"Just for Stefan's B day."

"Aw, you mean you didn't come all the way to see me?" He pretended to be hurt.

"That's it Damon. After a century I've realized death means nothing without you." Her sarcasm was obvious.

"Do me?" She said softly flicking him under the chin.

"Why are you so mean to me?" He mock complained rolling over on his back.

"Have you met you? You're not a nice person." Lexi fired back.

Damon sighed dramatically. "Well cause I'm a vampire."

"You're only the bad parts." She accused.

"Well teach me to be better." He simulated concern.

Lexi lost it then, remembering the last time she tried to help him and how he repaid her with treachery and pain.

She moved at vampire speed whooshing over to his side of the bed, gripping his neck in a stranglehold.

"Don't ruin my time with Stefan." She warned. "Cause I'll hurt you and you know I can do it."

"Yeah." He whined.

"I'm older and that means stronger." She threatened.

He swallowed carefully, waiting, while she huffed out.

_I'll be careful Lexi._

_Time you got yours Lexi._

_Kill two birds with one stone Lexi._

_Don't want me to ruin your time with my brother but it's okay that you interfere with my time._

_Just you wait Lexi. Just you wait._

Damon stayed motionless for awhile thinking; plotting. If Lexi had seen the nasty smile on his face she would have been justifiably worried.

~ X ~

Damon had carefully laid out his plan, compelling Caroline to arrange a party at the Mystic Grill. Now he just had to get Lexi there. He didn't think it would present much of a problem.

Damon overheard her asking his brother. "Speaking of which, what are we doing tonight?"

He took that as his cue and sauntered in. "Funny you should ask!"

Lexi countered. "Well I wasn't asking you."

Damon acted as if he hadn't heard her. "There's a party at the Grill tonight. You'll love it. Tacky wait staff. All of Stefan's friends." He was careful to keep his manner laid-back.

Stefan objected immediately. "I don't want a party."

"Well, it's not for you. It's a party party. No one's gonna know it's your birthday." Damon elaborated airily. "Caroline's throwing it."

"Damon, stay away from Caroline!" Stefan half pleaded and half warned.

"We're friends. It's cool." Damon breezily blew off Stefan's concern. "It's important for the town to see us out and about like normal folk. We need to blend."

Damon, knowing not to push to hard, turned to leave, sparing a sneer for Lexi's stash of blood bags. "Ugh! I prefer mine at 98.6"

Damon was confident the seed had been planted. Stefan would balk at going out but he was counting on Lexi wanting to go to the party.

Sure enough, his vampire hearing allowed him to hear her saying. "Let's go!" Followed by a cajoling "Please."

Damon smiled briefly as he heard Stefan agree to go but at the same time he couldn't suppress a surge of resentment that his brother was doing something he disliked for Lexi.

_Sure. He'll do it for you. Not for me. For you._

~ X ~

Caroline had done her job. The Mystic Grill was packed with a noisy, happy, drunken crowd. Damon kept an eye out for Lexi and jumped up to meet her when he spotted her weaving her way through the crowd.

He greeted her with. "Where's my brother?"

"He said he'd meet me here." Lexi was totally uninterested in talking with him.

She brushed right past Damon, his offer of "Buy you a . . " trailing off.

He watched her saunter off, his mouth twisted with resentment.

After taking his anger and frustration out on Caroline he stepped outside and spotted a couple making out. They were the perfect target for his plan. He savagely bit and killed the man and then compelled the girl.

Lexi managed to get Stefan to loosen up and dance before they moved to the pool tables.

Damon watched them enjoying themselves. He noted the easy banter, Stefan's relaxed smile.

_I taught my brother how to play billiards. We used to play together. We used to tease each other. We used to admire each other when one of us made a good shot._

He endured a stab of jealously before wandering over to Elena, sarcastically drawling. "Stefan smiles. Alert the media."

Elena retaliated with the observation. "You haven't given him a lot of reason to be happy lately."

Damon took it in stride and mocked. "Oh you're right. Poor Stefan! Pursued through eternity by his depraved brother."

Elena bombarded him with questions about what he had done to Jeremy but he barely replied. His thoughts were elsewhere and he eventually wandered back to the bar.

Damon looked up as Lexi plunked several shot glasses next to him. "Alright the shots are a bribe. I need you to answer a question."

"What are you really doing in Mystic Falls?" Distrust and suspicion were written all over her face.

He responded with a nonsensical reason.

"Cut the crap!" Lexi wasn't buying it.

Damon drained his shot and confided straight-faced. "OK, I have a diabolical master plan."

Lexi seemed to consider his statement.

"Well, what is?" She finally demanded.

"Now if I told you then it wouldn't be very diabolical, now would it." He countered.

They faced each other at an impasse. Damon was sitting sideways on the stool so he easily caught sight of the Sheriff, accompanied by a bunch of deputies, pushing the compelled girl forward.

Damon quickly spoke to Lexi, keeping her attention fixed on him.

Damon's pretend surprise when the sheriff came up and stabbed Lexi with a vervain filled syringe was perfection.

"What are you doing?" He jumped up, play acting.

"She's the vampire." The sheriff assured him.

As soon as the sheriff's back was turned he exited out the back door to the alley where he had conviently stashed a wooden stake.

He got there in time to catch a quick glimpse of Stefan and Elena peeking around the building before he intervened and stabbed Lexi in the heart.

"Why?" She managed to ask, her face and voice betraying her total lack of comprehension.

"It's part of the plan." He whispered before savagely twisting and driving the wooden stake completely through her heart.

He watched in satisfaction as her eyes filled with tears and the marble veining slowly coursed through her body. He was careful to breathe heavy and appear shocked as he turned to the sheriff.

He heard his brother's moan of "Oh my God!" while he asked the sheriff is she was okay.

He held back his smirk until he had graciously accepted the sheriff's heartfelt "Thank you!" and she moved past him.

He loaded the body in the trunk of the sheriff's car, sparing one last satisfied look at his rival for Stefan's affection.

_You got yours Lexi. I warned you_. _You should have stayed away._

~ X ~

Now he just had to get through the last part of his plan; the most important part.

He sat in the almost dark of the parlor, pouring liquor into a whiskey glass. He rolled the liquid around, somber faced, waiting for the confrontation he knew was coming. A familiar whoosh and his eyes slid sideways towards the open window.

His brother's silhouette was outlined by the faint light in the room and from the hall. Vampire enhanced sight allowed him to see the insane fury on Stefan's face. The fury part didn't bother him. The insane part did. He would have to be very careful or this could go very badly for one of them.

_This is it. This is where I find out who's more important to my brother. Me or Lexi. I'm counting on it being me. If it's not this could be the end for me._

"Told you I'd take care of it." Damon tried for a matter-of-fact tone, as if the events of the night were totally rational.

Stefan didn't bother to exchange words. He attacked with a punishing punch meant to damage.

Damon endured several vicious strikes, before Stefan bodily threw him to slide across the floor, landing on his back. Stefan came at him again, pummeling him in the head until he was finally able to plant his foot in Stefan's stomach and kick him across the room. Damon quickly jumped to his feet, assuming an aggressive stance.

It didn't stop or intimidate Stefan, who just came at him again.

Several ferocious punches to the head stunned Damon, allowing Stefan to pin him to the wall, fists twisted in the neck of Damon's shirt.

"Come on, I did this for you, to get them off our trail." Damon feigned exasperation, eyes rolling.

A furious Stefan contradicted. "You never do anything for anyone but yourself."

Stefan whipped a stake out of the waist band of his pants and stabbed it into the upper part of his brother's stomach. Damon's eyes widened in pain and shock.

Stefan watched his brother's eyes as he twisted the wood forcing little sounds of pain out of Damon.

Damon bent his head to look down at his brother's hand clutching the stake protruding from his stomach, managing to overcome the pain and taunt Stefan. "You missed."

He held on to Stefan's shoulders to steady himself.

"No, I didn't. You saved my life so I spared yours, but now we're even." Stefan's face was so close that Damon was sprayed with tiny droplets of spittle.

Stefan yanked the stake out and slammed it in again, using it to emphasize his words. "And now we're done."

As Stefan stormed out of the room Damon slowly slipped to the flow, grimacing in pain, small involuntary grunting noises escaping from him, hands grasping the stake protruding from his stomach. He groaned as he pulled it out.

He sat panting, feeling his stomach slowly heal. The pain was accepted as both confirmation and absolution. His brother didn't kill him. His brother couldn't kill him. A feeling of exaltation swept through him and he slowly closed his eyes savoring his triumph.

_He can't kill me._

_He loves me._

_He's mine again. All mine._

_Do you hear that Lexi? Not yours anymore. Mine._

_MY brother._

~ FIN ~


End file.
